Sunday, December 1, 2019

Afta-storm





Last Sunday was something like the pause before the storm. It was 62 degrees and sunny that day before dipping down only to 30 overnight. There wasn't a lick of snow to be found anywhere in the county, not even hiding under a rock.

Monday began fairly nice, weather-wise, but by evening it was getting cold and spitting snow and rain and I found myself fixing a stock tank float in my shirtsleeves so I could be all tough and cool.

Monday night and into Tuesday we got 10 inches of snow.

Wednesday was cold and clear.

Thursday (Thanksgiving) was fairly kinda-sorta nice, but there was another storm moving in. Friday we got 2.5 inches of snow and a howling wind set in. By Friday evening we were in near-blizzard conditions which changed to no-shit blizzard conditions which consumed all of Saturday and into the early morning hours of Sunday, which is today as I keywritetype this.

We were quite fortunate out at the ranch. Power stayed on, sat television and wireless internet stayed up, and it was no hardship at all to "ride out the storm." Having done an adequate job of managing the previous storm's snow we didn't even get monster drifts.

In town, however, power was out from noon until 9 p.m., cable tee-vee (I'm told) and cable internet were out, and monster drifts formed where snow management had been less than ideal. There were signs that the storm had been a real shitshow for town-bound drivers.



In other parts of the county many, many, power lines came down and the rumor is that some folks likely won't regain power for two weeks.

Nevertheless, I headed out...



It was quite pretty this morning with sunshine and muchly reduced winds. So as long as I was at it, I took and went and broke the law by driving on a perfectly clear highway under brilliantly clear conditions.



It was beautiful at the ranch. Cold and a bit breezy, but sunshiny and promising some barely-above-freezing temps.



I managed more snow, checked cattle, and tended chickens. Then I paused to take in all the major accomplishments I'd managed.



My brother agreed to take Howard the duck off our hands and deliver him to a duck rescue organization. Don't ask. It's for the best. Those kind of birds got no business moving into our neighborhoods in the first place.



We're so progressive and social-justicey we didn't lynch him or even burn a cross in his yard.



In the two storms we've had over the last week, 15.75 inches of snow which contained 1.48 inches of liquid water. Good storms.

Be well and enjoy the blessings of liberty.




13 comments:

  1. Scofflaw me I've driven 71 South when it was closed. Nebraska may get their 14 miles cleared but CDOT doesn't make it a priority. One time there were some huge drifts but for the most part you could maneuver around them.

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    1. Did he volunteer to take care of your livestock? Must have been a city boy.

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    2. Would have been fun to learn him where his cheeseburger and duty belt come from!

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  2. My duty belt was nylon, Bianchi Accumold. I wouldn't bother anyone going out to tend herd, especially over clear roads!

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    1. NYLON? Oh the horror. Bianchi used to be such a reputable company... ;-)

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting Scott!

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  3. City Folk would never get why you live where you do!

    The High Plains in Winter are a beautiful, desolate place with a tranquility like few other places.

    Keep warm!

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    1. I do ranch tours as a very informal and low-priority part of the enterprise. Instead of trying to show, I very much like to give visitors the time to look and begin to see and ask questions. In most cases at some point I can tell that nature is speaking to them the way she speaks to me. I'd be able to comfortably keep myself in cheetos for life if I had a dollar for every time someone said with longing that they wished they could somehow have what I have.

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting drjim!

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  4. Looks cold and clear, sometimes tough to handle but pretty. We had our first snowfall today, couple of inches which has since turned to sleet. Gonna be fun driving into work in the morning.

    Man, no more duck? Who's replacing Howard? We'll miss him, well, some of us will. 😉

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    1. The tough to handle part is admission price to the experience. I'm blessed indeed that I can handle it and therefore be allowed in to the show.

      As it turns out, you can't keep male ducks with hens. I'll probably write about it in a post. In the meantime, my brother has a farm friend with kids and ducks where Howard will find a much more better life. If we ever want to expand into ducks, and it's not a terrible idea considering how wonderful duck eggs are, we'll have to build a duck compound. Free range is a nice idea but around here free range can quickly become a coyote buffet.

      Drive careful and may the Force deflect idiot drivers away from your vehicle, Sargi-Wan.

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

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  5. 100% agree with your statement in the third video. Those people are going to be greatly surprised when they find out that they are not our masters.

    Thanks for the post.
    Paul L. Quandt

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    1. Hope that video doesn't go viral (no chance). It would get me banned from that platform for, well, you know.

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting Paul!

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    2. "It would get me banned from that platform for, well, you know." Yes, for being true to the oath we both have taken.

      Paul

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